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Wednesday, 29 April 2015

This Shadow Life - Hopeful

You might have noticed (or maybe you haven't) that I have been away a bit lately. I have been feeling pretty down and kind of numb so it's been hard to come up with anything to write about that wouldn't just be insanely depressing.
But! Recently something happened that made me really happy and so I just wanted to write a quick post to tell you all about it.

A friend and I went to grab a coffee a few afternoons ago. Nothing too exciting about getting coffee, but while we were in the line we were talking about one of our work friends. He has been having trouble working because his wife isn't well and so we were talking, and the conversation went something like this.

Friend: When I was working with him a few days ago he was saying how he can't get much work done because he is taking care of his wife and trying to get her up and moving.
Me: Oh that sounds awful. Do you know what it is that's wrong? (asked in the hope that she would say something short term and non-life threatening.)
Friend: She has depression.

Her answer wasn't what made me happy (obviously I don't like the idea of anyone suffering with depression. It was the way that she said it. It was "She has depression" like "She has the flu" or "She has chickenpox." There was no stigma, no judgement, and no reservations. She said the word just like any other word. She said it like depression is just an illness like any other that a person might have to face. I was amazed and honestly it just made me so hopeful that one day everyone will view depression this way. That people will be able to talk about it in a totally open, honest, and comfortable way. That I won't have to hide what I am going through and pretend that I am okay.
That one word and the woman who said it honestly made my week about one million times better. :]